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Newbie to Subies.... info needed

Okay, it needs to be known that I know pretty much NOTHING about these cars other than I like them so if I need to be flammed for my first post....flame away!

I have the opportunity to purchase a 1986 Subaru Loyal wagon for $250 from my work. The car in general looks nice, clean outside and very clean inside, power everything, 5-speed, etc. BUT it's hard to start and sounds like it has a bad miss once it's running. Once it's running if you start to give it gas, it pretty much wants to die but will very slowly rev once the engine has warmed up some. It has just about 200K on it. I don't know the history of the car neither does my work.... someone at work took a guess that the timing belt is off a tooth or something.

I have yet to drive it but tomorrow I plan to take it for a spin just to see what happens.

Where can I get more info about this car? Take VIN # to dealer to get stock info? I have to say it again... I don't know crap about these cars and any info is wanted/needed.

It could very well be a GL.... All I know is that it's a wagon:D I know that it's NOT a turbo. So which would be the better choice, carb, single or multi port injection? I hope that the car is injected though. I was figuring that a major tune-up would be needed. No, it's not a rust bucket.... I'll bring the camera to work tomorrow and snap a few pics of the car and post them up for people to view, pictures always tella better story.

I'd be using it as my DD mostly and weekend play rig. I just need to meet other Subie owners in my area to have more fun....anyone in the Gresham/Sandy, OR area?

and also right down the road, you've got Andrew and myself in Albany and a few other people like John in Eugene... we're all over the place, you just gotta know where to look (under rocks, I mean over rocks):rollin:

The wife is excited to get it but she wants to make sure it's not going to become another project of mine... she wants it to be a cheap DD for me and doesn't want lots of money dumped into it like my Toyota:p

it would bring an easy $800-900 + on this side of the country, theres your justification...

some info about it to get you started:
-1986 GL (similar to the loyale, just not officially coined that name)
-EA82 overhead cam 1.8L horizontally opposed workhorse
-dual range 4x4, high and low gears (but no t-case like your yotas have)
-5spd transmission with cable and fork type clutch

that car is a score, and once you sort the rough running out, youll be quite happy - reliable as hell, just make sure you take care of its needs: timing beltS (2 of them), water pump, oil pump, and seals - id go for it if i were you, youre starting out with a pretty rare set of rims and you have the 4 originals in the back...

I would definetly buy that for $250.00. I'm more into the BRATs, but still. That would bring around $800.-1000.00 here, atleast, just going buy the shape of the body. Little work on it, and you're up and running. I've always been one to buy someoneleses headaches, for a paltry amount, put some money and effort into it, and drive it forever. Either that, or sell it for a goood profit...............Tom

Yeah, that looks like an awesome buy. If you were to get it running properly, then you will be VERY happy with it. I have an 87 turbo that i paid a bit much for, but i don't care anymore. It's an awesome car and i love it.

The interior looks great. The onle thing i see missing is the rear seat headrests, but there are a bunch of pull- a part, or pull and save type places over there that I'm sure will have those...

Wow, those rims look awesome on it. Being an 86 4WD GL, yes it should have a carb (doesnt matter if CA or 49 state version, they all have carbs)

If you dont want those rims it has, you should sell em, I'm sure you can get $100 or more for em (read they are pretty rare)

If the day ever comes that you want to convert to a "Weber" carb (more performance, if the old carb craps out on you its usually worth it) and want to know what to gut off the engine just ask me (note the car will be rejected at DEQ if you show up like that, I pulled off EVERYTHING on my car) However if you dont have to worry about DEQ (like me) then its worth it.

Awesome car, you don't need anyone else to tell you to go for it.....but I recommend you go for it! And the rear headrests aren't missing, they were either optional or not available on GLs, standard on GL-10s. (There were three trim lines for the mid-late '80s wagons: DLs were stripped, GLs were better equipped with more options available, and GL-10s had only a few options (alloy wheels, better radios, etc) and were fully loaded.)

Took the GL for a spin at lunch today and umm...well, it needs some real help. It smokes like a mo-fo, and sounds like crap. I'm fairly positive that the engine needs to be either rebuilt or replaced. The rings have to be completly gone for as much smoke that it spews. It also back fires between shifts(timing?), smokes bad, and has very little power. I have yet to do a compresion test but I'm sure theres none to be found.

The 4wd works though, 4-hi and 4-low worked well at slow speeds in the gravel.

If I were to replace the engine I think I'd have a real gem of a car.... it's now time to search for a new engine for the little one.

Where would a good place to get a rebuilt kit from? OR how about a long block for it? Mail order or some place local to me(Portland area)??

Here are some more pictures for the fun of it:

Popped the hood and found this EA82,
<img src="http://www.backwoods4wd.com/members/toyofast/subaru/PICT2708.jpg" style="border:0;"/>

Engine running and this out the tail pipe,
<img src="http://www.backwoods4wd.com/members/toyofast/subaru/PICT2710.jpg" style="border:0;"/>

A new (used 35K) japanese engine will probably be $600 or so and the japanese carb probably wont work, so if the carb on teh car is had you will have to swap that out too. If you pass on it and I get my other projects finished, I may have interest in it just for the body and tires and wheels.

<blockquote><strong><em>Quote:</em></strong><hr>Out of curiosity what else is back there besides that car?? [/quote]

I assume you're asking about the back lot right? There are a total of 3 Subarus there.... there's the one that I've been looking at and 2 red ones, unsure of what year they are but body style looks pretty much the same. The 2 red ones I don't think are for sale but tomorrow I plan to ask about them. Other than that there are some true junkers and some newer cars, trucks and SUV's. It's there wholesale lot I think... I don't spend much time with the sales people, I'm in parts.

I'll be picking up the Subaru on Monday... I hope it makes to my driveway before it blows up

I love that handel for the 4WD shifter!!!!!!!!! Mine points down at the end, and has no "knob" to it. The wheels look great on it too. Even if U have to re-place the whole engine it's worth EVERY PENNY, that's a great looking wagon!